The years have not been kind to you
by Gogoanna
Summary: What happens when your worst nightmare comes true? When the light of your life is extinguished? You find something else to fight for and you keep on going. Yet, what happens when the Gods are not done tormenting you? When they have only started their cruel joke? You...you... Can the love between Pepper and Tony survive years, dimensions, and powers even they cannot fathom? Find out
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys, this is my first story. I have been an avid fan of the Iron Man franchise and let's not forget totally in love with RDJ.

This story follows Pepper and her love for Tony. Please stick around, I promise this gets only better! Think love, death, life all wrapped up in a nice Pepperony package.

As a first time author, I am dying to hear reviews! (just not too critical ;) ) let me know what you think.

**Chapter 1 **

**Malibu, CA**

**3 months after the fight with Killian**

**Peppers POV **

You know those days that on the surface look just like any other, yet in reality they are completely and utterly different...wrong...just incredibly off? Well, today (starting from last night, even) was one of those instances.

Yesterday evening was just like any other. I got home late from work. Tony was playing around with his bots...everything normal, as usual. Until a special, one eyed someone called. At about 9 at night, Nick Fury requested the help of the great Iron Man for a mission next morning. Hearing his words actually made me giggle. Didn't he know that Tony was done with that part of his life? That Tony destroyed all of his suits? That he promised me it was over? Hah the "all-knowing" Fury didn't know something.

Or...

Or was it me that didn't know something. I saw that look in Tonys eyes as he told me Fury's request...it was guilt. He lied to me. He absolutely and completely lied. He wasn't done...

"Pep, how can I just abandon being Iron Man? All those people may..."

But before he even had a moment to finish, i interjected

"All those people? They have the rest of the Avengers to protect them Tony!"

"but Pep.." he protested,

" but WHAT? you made a promise to me! Or is that not important? Is that the least of your worries?"

"now Pepper, you know that's not..."

I couldn't...I couldn't even let him finish. "no! I'm not allowing you to go. We JUST got married, you are no longer just you...now it's us...we have to...have to...protect each other...Tony...how can you not see? Thor is a god, Steve a super soldier, even Nat and Clint are specially trained assassins...you are a genius, but you are still JUST a flesh and blood human who flies around in a tin can...you no longer have the arc reactor...it's no longer part of you. What if you get killed!? God, Tony! I cannot survive without you! Being the Iron Man while having the reactor with a new element embedded in your chest was one thing, but now it's too dangerous...I can't...you can't...no..."

Sure his reasons were noble, but he is just a man...one single, human man. He was all I had, there was no way I could let him go out and fight another monster...another threat...god, what if it was like New York...he just stopped having the nightmares...we just restarted our lives...how could he even consider the suit again... However, those were not the thoughts Tony heard...all he heard was something different...

"just a human in a tin can?! Really Pep, that's what you think? I though after YEARS of proving myself to you and the rest of the world I'd earn a bit of understanding. Yes, maybe I'm not a god...but I am just as good as the rest of them..if not better!"

"Tony...that's not..." now I had no time to finish

" it's not fair! I am doing everything for you and on an off chance I want to help some poor people, this is the response I get from my beloved wife? I thought out of everyone, you would be the one who could understand that responsibilities are greater than just silly promises!"

It was something about that night where neither of us were listening to each other...we were more focused on the words than their meaning...

"silly promises!? Is that what I am to you? Are our wedding vows also some silly promises? Well Stark, if I'm such a bother how about you do whatever your little heart desires! Keep me out of it! I'm tired of caring! ...oh and you are sleeping on the couch tonight"

Obviously, Tony did not in fact sleep of a couch. However, he stayed in one of the guest bedrooms in our new home. Yes, a house we finally made in to a home. It was not far off from where the original Stark Malibu mansion stood. Still the same neighborhood, the same killer view. That night, alone in our bed, I couldn't sleep. All I wanted to do was run to Tony, to hug him, apologize for calling him a man in a tin can, and sleep peacefully in his strong protective arms...but my pride kept me away. I knew that deep down I was right...it was dangerous to go back out there ...so dangerous...

Now it's 11 am the next morning. I havnt gotten a wink of sleep, but a strong cup, who am i kidding, cups of coffee are keeping me awake and standing upright.

So we are back to the notion of the same day as always, only completely off. Let's examine how.

As before the removal of the reactor, before all of his other missions, I am standing in his lab watching him get assembled in to the suit. As always I'm holding on to a cup of coffee and he is shouting commands at various bits and pieces of flying metal. Only this time, we are standing in a lab in a new home. This time the suit looks different, and most importantly this time he is missing a comforting blue glow above his heart.

As always, he is assembled. Only today we are still mad at one another. No one had the guts to apologize first. So as they say, we both started our days on the wrong side of our (separate) beds. He hesitates...waiting for my regular "be safe-I love you-don't die-you are my everything" goodbye kiss. This time I don't kiss him goodbye. I am simply standing here, few feet in front of him drinking my coffee.

As his face mask clicks closed, I notice sadness and a glint of tears in his gorgeous eyes. I should say something...anything...I love you...

Too late...he is off with not a single word exchanged.

As always, as before all of his other missions, my stomach drops. Only this time, it sends me running to the bathroom to empty all of its contents.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello, I'm back. Once again it's my totally new, totally first story. Review, review, review. :) This story takes place after Iron Man 3, possible spoilers.

**WARNING:** incredibly sad chapter. It broke my heart to write this. However, this is not the end, I have high hopes for this story. Stay tuned.

** Chapter 2**

**Peppers POV **

**Stark Industries **

It has been two hours since he left for the mission. As always, I knew no details. I simply went to work. I went in to keep HIS company up and running. To be fair, it is now our company. But that's beside the point. I stayed true to my regular schedule...meetings, mergers, messages, boring , boring, boring...Only now there was a massive change to my daily routine. It involved unavoidable trips to the ladies room. After a third heaving session, I realized what the possibility could be.

Positive. Positive? How could this be the only thing that is positive right now? I cant. I officially cannot focus on the idea of a tiny human growing in my womb, not now, not while Tony is out there flying around and risking his life.

At some point during the day as I was staring at the endless amount of papers on my desk at the headquarters I couldn't keep my mind off of Tony. The way we left things. The fight. I should have told him to be safe and that I will always love him, no matter how bone headed his actions were. I should have reassured him that I will always be by his side...damn it!

Before anything else, I need to tell him he might soon be a father...well as certain as an at-home pregnancy test can assure me. He needs to know. We can forget this entire childish fight. He can come home to me...to us, safe and sound. I need to call him.

"JARVIS" I order my phone "connect me to Tony...I..I need to speak to him..."

"As you wish Mrs. Stark. Connecting to his inflight video stream. One moment please." JARVIS quipped back.

So I waited...five seconds...ten seconds...fifteen.

"Madam, I do believe Master Stark has requested no direct video link." If AI could exhibit emotions, JARVIS certainly sounded sad...disappointed even. Tony actively screened my call. It broke my heart. I felt it shatter to tiny pieces. My breath caught in my throat. He never ignored my calls...not on purpose, not even during his missions. Was our fight bigger than us? Was he really that mad? Oh god...Tony...I held in a whimper...as silly as it sounded I didn't want to let the AI hear my heart break...

"Madam, Master Stark suggested you leave a voicemail or a video...his vitals do not indicate any harm...perhaps he is simply at a lose of words, as they say...would you like me to connect you to his messaging system?" at a lose of words? So he has time to direct JARVIS, but too fed up to speak to me? Even though JARVIS was trying to come up with excuses for Tony's poor and childish behavior, it boiled my blood. He clearly had time and energy to communicate his demands to JARVIS...why couldn't he simply pick up?

"No. JARVIS just inform Mr. Stark that if I'm not important enough to pick up a call from, then he is not important enough for me to leave a message to...that'll be all JARVIS. Thank you. "

"Certainly Mrs. Stark"

Maybe he was busy, I told myself.

God, one minute I'm sad, next minute I'm mad, then back to sad...Hormones already?

However, I knew Tony, I knew unless his helmet broke down or he was passed out, he would pick up a call from me. Or at least tell JARVIS to pass a message on to me...but I waited and nothing. No call back, no message. In reality I was scared and hurt. In reality I knew that if Tony chose to ignore me, perhaps he really is completely over our "silly promise" to each other. What if he was entirely over me. Done. Finished. Tired of my crap.

8:57 pm...where did the time fly. I need to get home. Try to sleep. Tony should be back tomorrow. I need to hear it from him. If he is done, I need to hear it from him.

6:00 am. I'm up bright and early...truthfully, it was another sleepless night.

It's crazy how accustomed I've become to sleeping in Tonys arms. His warm, strong body wrapped protectively around me. His breath on my neck... Just thinking about this gorgeous man lying next to me quickens my pulse. I need him.

"JARVIS, is Tony back?" I ask the AI. Hoping, he had returned and is sulking in one of the guest bedrooms...

"Good morning Mrs. Stark. Unfortunately no, Master Stark has not yet returned." I sighed. Tony...I hope you are safe, you idiot.

"It may, however, interest you that Master Stark is currently on television. The news reporters are picking up on the story as we speak. Chanel one has excellent breaking story of the fight Master Stark and the rest of the Avengers are currently involved in."

"TURN IT ON!" I ordered

There it was right before my eyes, there was my Tony fighting. Fighting something. From all the dust and chaos I couldn't even tell what it was. This time it was L.A.

The Avengers were fighting a group of powerful men. Each looked different. They were ...enhanced, for the lack of a better word. Flying, attacking, shooting fire balls. Each had a strange trait. Each was just as dangerous. The selfish part of me wanted the camera to stay only on Tony . I wanted to see his every move. I wanted to see him win. To see him be okay. God...Tony...

3:15 pm. Full day of coverage. Everyone was tuned in. I couldn't move. Still in pj's, still in bed. My Tony was a fighter and he fought. Only, for some odd reason I felt that his suit moved differently. Was it me, or was the suit less powerful, slower? On few occasions I saw the horrible sight of Tony being thrown from place to place, dragged through the street, however he continuously overcame his attackers, he prevailed.

Then it happened.

One of the attackers cornered Tony, cornered the amazing Iron Man. The man used his telekinesis powers to hold Tony up, arms and legs spread as wide as possible. Where are the rest of the Avengers? Tony! God, where is everyone? The camera is zoomed in on Tony, I can see that the man is squishing my darling husband. I see sparks flying from the suit. His attacker looks like he is putting on a show, like he is enjoying it. SNAP and a loud scream! I can see the odd angle Tony's left arm is now turning. That monster...where is everyone. Someone help! Tony is struggling, flailing around, but to no use. He is held in place in mid air. The repulsers aren't helping. Nothing is.

BUZZZZZ

The noise takes me out of my trance...it's my phone...it's ...it's TONY!

"TONY! Oh my god...oh god...tony! " I screech in to the phone

"Pep...pepper listen, I know you are watching and as you can see I am...um...tied up...Pep, baby, I'm sorry. I just need you to know that! Honey listen, just...don't cry...please" at this point all I could muster up were tears and sobs, I've lost my voice...completely overtaken by fear "honey, I love you. This is...ugh..." I look back to the TV and see that the attacker is tightening his hold on Tony. God he is torturing him.

"Tony...Tony...are you seriously hurt? Honey, please tell me you will bring this guy down...that...that..."

"Pep, baby, listen...I need to say this...OWWW...son of a ...sorry...tight hold...ugh...anyway, I love you more that anything in this, ugh, world...you are...my ...AHHH" another scream, another snap. Only this time its his right leg...oh god...this can't be it...no TONY...

" ugh..you are my..everything...the fight was stupid...turns out you, as always...were right. Hah always are...damn...I wish I can hold you...god...i wish...ahh...I was with you now, just together... Know this, from the day I met you, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Who knew it would only be for such a short while, hah...I'm so...soooooo sorry for everything...no, shhhhhh, don't cry, I ...need to say this..I love you, god, so much that... Time is just running out and... And..."

"TONY, no, don't. DON'T GIVE UP. I love you more than life itself...please...TONY... I will see and hold and love you in few hours. You will be back to me, to us..please...honey...Tony, you need to know. Fight for me and you, fight for our..."

BEEEEPPPPPP the line went dead.

No...no...no...Tony! I am staring at the TV. The attacker has ripped off Tonys helmet, leaving his gorgeous face completely unprotected. His eyes are searching...searching for something. I see fear in them...sadness and fear...he is searching... The cameras...he has noticed the news van. Tony makes eye contact with one and it feels like he is directly looking at me. The world stops. I look in to his warm, powerful chocolate gaze. Overwhelming warm feeling spreads all over me. I feel like there is nothing else. Like he really is just staring at me, not a camera lens. His eyes, that looked so sad and sacred are warming up... I can feel my tears running freely down my face. His gaze warms up, he smiles... his spacial smile...that is reserved only for me. That no one else gets. That same smile he gave me two months after I started working for him...that same smile he gave me in the limo ride after his return from Afghanistan...same smile that bore in to my soul during the dance at the fireman's ball...the one right before the kiss on the rooftop...the one he gave me when he proposed and the one he wore when he spoke our wedding vows. That smile, amid all the chaos and pain, shone like a bright sun. I cant stop crying, wailing...TONY...I see him mouth the words" I will always love you"

SNAP

no...no...nooo

His neck...TONYYYYYYYYYY...NOOOOOO

No...nooooo... it's can't possibly be the right way a neck should look. The gaze is gone, it's gone. No longer is there warmth or light or life in his eyes. Dead...just dead...The camera is still on him...zoomed in..And then the attacker lets Tonys lifeless body drop to the ground.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...TONYYYYYY!"


End file.
